Sheet-separating mechanism.



L. E. MORRISON. SHEET SEPAHATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 20, 1908.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

wit 320 citizen of the United States of America,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS E. MORRISON, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 HIMSELF AND MATT HIAS PLUIrI, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 191.4.

Application filed August 20, 1908. Serial No. 449,421.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS E. MORRISON, 3

an a resident of Newark, Essex county, New Jersey, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Sheet-Separating Mechanisms, of which the following is a specifi-- cation.

This invention relates to sheet separating devices and has particular reference to a sheet separating mechanism in which a sheet is separated from a pile of sheets by suct on and then conveyed to a secondary feeding or other mechanism of the machine of which the separator forms a part. In the present instance the separating mechanism is designed and illustrated in connection with a printing machine and one ob ect of the nvention is toso construct the separating mechanism that it may be readily attached to and detached from an ordinary job press, though it will be apparent that my invention may be used on other types or classes of machines.

Other'objects will appear as this specification proceeds whilereference is had to the accompanying drawings in Wlllcl1-- Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of a job press equipped with my sheet separating mechanism, Fig. 2 is an end view of arts of the operating mechanism shown 1n ig. 1, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the separating and feeding mechanisms, Flgs 4, 5, 6 and 7 are detail views of the separating or suction nozzle.

The reference numeral 1 denotes the frame of the press, 2 is the oscillating form member pivoted at the foot of the press in the usual manner while 1 is the oscillating platen, the operating means for which are not shown as they form no part of this invention. The form member is operated by means of connecting rods 5, only one of which is shown pivoted at 6 to the gear 7 which is driven from the pinion 8 in drive shaft 9.

On the frame of the press are mounted two brackets 10 which support the arms 11 journaled on shaft 12 and supportmg at their free ends another shaft 13. Tapes 1* run over these two shafts. Side guides as 15 are adjustably carried by the arms 11, which are also provided with cams 16 resting on rollers 17 mounted on levers 18 p1v-- brackets 10. These levers oted at 19 in the 18, one on each side, in turn rest on rollers 20 carried by the platen. By these means the feeding mechanism follows the 1uovcment of the platen and cooperates therewith. The tapes 14 are driven constantly in the direction toward the platen by any suit able means. This feeding mechanism has been described in an application filed by me on the 17th day of February, 1908, S01. No. 416,203, and it is not necessary that I should here describe it more in detail, it being suilicient for the purpose of understanding this invention to state, that when the feeding mechanism is elevated as in F ig. 1 the sheet is being dropped on the tapes, and when the platen is in the position shown in Fig. 3 the sheet is fed onto the platen by the said tapes. Any suitable stopping means may be used to retain the sheet on the tapes until the platen is in the proper position to receive it. Such stopping means being described in the aforesaid application. It should also be noted. that for the purpose of making ready or otherwise getting at the platen or the interior parts of the press, the feeding mechanism may be swung upward around the shaft 12. This feature is here mentioned as it has some influence upon the construction of the suction mechanism as will be seen presently.

In order pile of sheets I This nozzle is comprised of the short pipe 22 to which is soldered or otherwise fastened an elbow 23. The ends of the nozzle are closed and provided with studs or pins 24. The one side 25 of the nozzle is flattened to better rest on the paper and is provided with perforations 26. See Figs. 5 and 7. The nozzle is pivoted by the pins 24 in the two arms 27 which are fast on the short sleeve 28. This latter is removably mounted on the rod 29 and fastened thereon by the set screw 30. A lug 31 is carried by the nozzle, and an elastic member 32 passes around this member and the set screw 30 and normally keeps the nozzle in the position shown in Fig. 6 with relation to the sleeve 28.

The rod 29 is rigidly mounted in a weighted arm 33 pivoted at 31 on the upright lever 35, which latter is pivoted at 36 on bracket 10. On the arm 33 is pivoted at 37 a bell crank 38 the one arm of which bears against a stop 39 while the other arm to separate the top sheet from the employ a suction nozzle 21.

is connected at to a connecting link 41, the lower end of which is pivoted at 42 to the-cam lever 43 which is pivoted at 44 to the lower end of the aforesaid lever 35. The cam lever is provided with a cam 45.

On the brackets 10 is mounted a feed table 46 having side guides 47 and rear stops 48 for determining the position of the pile of sheets 49. The arm 33 carries a pipe elbow 50 which is connected to the aforesaid nozzle elbow 23 by a hose 51 and to the pump 52 by a hose 53, parts of which have been removed in Fig. 1 for the sake of clearness.

The pump is conveniently hinged to a rod 64 in the press, and the piston rod is pivoted at 65 to the levers 55.

The lever 35 is oscillated on its pivot 36 in order to swing the nozzle from the position shown in Fig. 3 when it picks up a sheet to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 when the sheet is dropped on the tapes 14. The-operating means for the lever 35 is as follows. Pivoted at the foot of the press are levers 55 only one of which is shown and the function of which is to operate the gripper carriage '56 on the levers 18 as described in an application filed by me on the 6 day of March, 1908, Ser. No. 419,480. The one lever 55 has an arm 56 to the end of which is pivoted at 57 a link 58 the other end of which is pivoted at 59 to the connecting rod 5, so that, as the latterrecipro cates the levers 55 oscillate on their pivot. A rod 60, joins the lower ends of the levers 35 and the said rod abuts the levers 55 as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. and between The one end of the spring 61 is hooked directly to the rod 60 while the other end is hooked to a rod 61 which latter rod is carried in the arms 61 secured to the levers 55, so that when these latter move to the right in Fig. 1 the sprin compels the lower end of the lever 35 to ollow until the up per end abuts an adjustable stop 62. Further movement .of the levers 55 simply expands the spring 61 as will be clear from the position shown in dotted lines. On the leftward movement of the levers 55 the spring 61 is first contracted until the lever 55 abuts the rod 60. Then the latter is also moved leftward thereby moving the upper part of the lever 35 to the right.

The arm 56 of the lever 55 carries a stud 63 which coiiperates with the cam 45, and this latter and the link 41 and bell crank'38 are much lighter than the weighted arm 33 which carries the nozzle, so that normally the cam 45 is forced downwardly audits arm 43 upwardly by the weight of the arm 33 and the nozzle. g

. 'T he operation isas follows: Fig. l shows the impression being on and the nozzle 21 has just deposited a sheet on the tapes 14.-

Next the press opens, the form member moves to the right carrying the lever 55 with it into the dotted position, and the lever 55 through the spring 61 oscillates the lever 35 moving this latter until the same abuts the stop 62 when further movement of the lever 55 is taken up by the spring. Thus the nozzle is moved to the left, and just as the lever 55 commences its movement to the right the stud 63 lifts the cam 45 thereby slightly elevating the nozzle and permits the latter to pass freely to the left. The parts are so timed, however, that as the lever 35 abuts the stop 62 the cam 45 is clear of the stud 63. and the nozzle b gravity falls on the edge of the pile of sieets as seen in Fig. 3 and in Fig. 7, and it should be noted in this latter figure, that by reason of the fall of the nozzle on the paper by gravity, the nozzle assumes the position shown in this figure, that is, the flattened surface25 comes in direct contact with the surface of the paper and the lug 31 is forced away from the sleeve 28. When the impression again takes place the lever 55 moves to the left in Fig. 1, the suction causes the top sheet to adhere to the nozzle and by-the stud 63 encountering the cam 45 the nozzle is lifted, and the spring 32 pulls the lug 31 against the sleeve 28. This causes the edge of the top sheet to be turned upwardly as seen in Fig. 6 thus completely separating the top sheet from the pile, and this separation is further augmented by a slight leftward movement of the top sheet caused by the raising of the nozzle through an arc the center of which is the pivot 34. In actual operation this forward or leftward movement of the top sheet with relation to the pile is from to T3,; of an inch and I have found that this nozzle will separate perfectly. For different weights of paper I use different size nozzles so as to get a varied suction surface. 'In.

elbow 23 from the hose 51. As the lever 55 continues its leftward movement the stud 63 keeps the nozzle elevated and the latter is moved to the right to the feeding mechanism. When the lever 55 reaches its extreme leftward position the stud 63 passes under the low part of the cam 45 and the nozzle is lowered, the rod 29 carrying the nozzle coming to rest on the one side guide 15 as seen in F ig. 1. The operation is then repeated. During these operations the bell crank 38 and the weighted arm 33 act as if they were one piece, the bell crank bearing against the stop 39 by the action of the cam 45. If, however. it is desired to get at the press and swing the feeding mechanism upward,

- the nozzle is first moved out of the way by swinging the arm 33 around its pivot 34 without departing from the into the dotted position shown in Fig. 4, hence the reason for pivoting the bell crank 38 on the arm 33. The position of the ivot 34E bears a fixed relation to the ange at which the feed table is inclined if the best results are to be obtained.

In Fig. 4 it will be noted that a line marked a is drawn through the center of the pivot 34 and the top rear edge of the feed table 46and the angle between this line and the top surface of the feed table is marked 6. I have found, that in order to operate the nozzle so as to separate without the same ever picking up two sheets, this angle must not be less than 5. By making this angle 5 or more, the action of the nozzle will be perfect irrespective of the height of the pile of paper within reasonable limits.

Various modifications of the particular mechanisms shown may of course take place spirit of the invention and the claims. And the term sheets in the latter should be construed to cover units of the material to be separated, as it may happen, that two or more sheets may be fastened together and the units formed into a pile later to be separated, in which case this separating mechanism would be equally useful.

I claim:

1. The combination of a suction nozzle, a lever for oscillating the same, acam mounted on said lever, a movable member adapted to engage said cam at the end of the movements' of the said le er in both directions and means actuated by said cam for lifting the said nozzle.

2. A suction nozzle comprising a sleeve, arms depending from the same at the ends thereof, a nozzle member pivoted in the eX- treme ends of the said arms and comprising a hollow member having a flattened perforated surface contained between the sai arms, a lug projecting upward from the said member and adapted to contact with the one side of the said sleeve, a spring between the latter and the lug and a hose connection integral with the said nozzle member and communicating with the latter, the said connection extending beyond the said sleeve in a direction with relation to the same opposite to that of thesaid lug.

3. The combination of a lever pivoted intermediate its ends, a weighted lever pivoted in the upper end of the said first lever, a suction nozzle secured to the said weighted lever, a cam pivoted in the lower end of the said first lever, operating connections between the said cam and the said weighted lever and mechanism cooperating with the cam for causing the latter to actuate the said operating connections for lifting the said nozzle.

4. The combination of a lever pivoted intermediate its ends, a weighted lever pivoted ing in the one end of the said first lever, a suction mechanism secured to-the said weighted lever, a cam pivoted in the opposite end of the said first lever, operating connections between the said cam and the said weighted lever and means cooperating with the said cam for causing the latter to actuate the said operating connections for lifting the said mechanism and means for oscillating the said means.

5. The combination of a sheet separating device, movable supporting means for the same and comprising a plurality of interconnected pivoted members, a cam carried on-one of said members and mechanism for oscillzuing said cam and also for operating the cam on its supporting member at the beginning of its oscillations in either direction to actuate another of the said members in the said supporting means.

(S. The combination of a separating device, rating device and for normally maintaining said cam in a given position, interconnected levers interposed between the said cam and the said lever and means for operating the said cam to. lift the lever strumentality of the said interconnected lovers.

7. The combination of an oscillating lever, a weighted lever pivoted intermediate its ends in the upper end of the said oscillating lever, a separating device supported on the said weighted lever, a cam pivoted in the lower end of the said first lever, a stop on said weighted lover, a dog pivoted on the said lever and adapted to engage the said stop, operating connections between the cam and the said dog and means acting on the said cam to cause the latter to actuate the said dog to lift the said Weighted lever against the weight thereof while the said oscillating lever is in motion. V

8. The combination of a lever, arod secured to the same, a suction nozzle adjustably mounted on the said rod, a movable supporting member for the said lever, another movable member and cooperatin mechanism interposed between the said members and between one of the latter and the said lever for operating the said nozzle. 9. The combination of a movable form member, a lever oscillated thereby, a stud on the said lever, a second lever, a separatdevice supported at the top of the latter, a cam secured at the bottom of the said second lever and means for oscillating the said second lever by the said first lever so as to cause the said stud to engage the said cam for operating the said separating device. 1

10. The combination of a lever pivoted intermediate its ends, supporting means! for the same, a separating device supported by the longest arm of the said lever, a pivoted a cam, a lever for supportingsaitl sepathrough the in cam member, connections between the latter and the other short arm of the aforesaid lever, said cam and connections being of less weight than the said long arm of the lever and the separating device and means for operating said cam to overcome the weight of the said long arm and the device supported thereby for the purpose of lifting the said device.

11. The combination of a form member, a lever oscillated thereby, a second lever pivoted intermediate its ends, means for operating said second lever by the said first lever, means for limiting the motion of the second lever before the said first lever has ceased to move, a suction mechanism carried by said second lever, a pump for said suction mechanism and means for operating the said pump fromthe said first lever.

12. The combination of a form member, a lever oscillated thereby, a second lever pivoted intermediate its ends, means for operating said second lever by the said first lever, means for limiting the motion of the second lever before the said first lever has ceased to move, a spring interposed between the said two levers, a suction mechanism carried by said second lever, a pump for said suction mechanism and means for operating the said pump from the said first levers.

13. The combination of a lever pivoted intermediate its ends, a cam pivoted at the lower end of said lever, a suction mechanism pivoted at the upper end of said lever, connections between said mechanism and said cam for moving the latter into a given position, and means for operating said cam to move the said suction mechanism.

14. The combination of a lever pivoted innea Y intermediate its ends, a cam pivoted at the lower end of said lever, a suction mechanism pivoted at the upper end of said lever, connections between said mechanism and said cam for moving the latter into a given position, and means for operating said cam at the beginning of its movements in both directions to move the said suction mechanism.

15. The combination of a movable form member, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends, an arm pivoted in the upper end of the said first lever, a suction mechanism carried by said arm, a cam pivoted to the lower end of said first lever, connections between the said cam and the said suction mechanism, said connections being of less Weight than the said arm, a member for operating said cam to actuate the said suction mechanism and means for operating the said member from the said form member.

16. The combination of a movable form member, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends, an arm pivoted in the upper end of said first lever, a suction mechanism carried by said arm, a cam pivoted to the lower end of said first lever, connections between the said cam and the said suction mechanism, said connections being of less Weight than the said arm, a member for operating said cam to actuate the said suction mechanism and means for operating the said member from the said form member, the said means also serving to oscillate the said first lever.

Signed at Newark, N. J., this 12th day of Aug, 1908.

LEWIS E. MORRISON.

Witnesses CHAS. E. DANIEL, FRED J. ARNOLD. 

